Got Love If You Want It: More Record Store Day 2017 Essentials

Record Store Day’s 10th anniversary couldn’t be anything less than big. And with articles devoted to April 22’s RSD releases from David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Omnivore Recordings, Legacy Recordings, Prince, Warner Music Group and Real Gone Music, you might wonder what there’s left to say before the big day. But you’d be wrong! We’ve scoured the list to find another 23 must-have titles hitting the vinyl racks at fine independent music stores next month. Which of these favorites are on your list?

The Art of Noise, Moments in Love/Beat Box EP (Music on Vinyl)

First released as a single by ZTT Records in 1985, this replica 12″ on purple vinyl (limited to 1,000 copies) features two of the British art-dance collective’s best-loved cuts.

George Carlin, Jammin’ in New York (Comedy Dynamics)

The legendary stand-up comedian considered this 1992 HBO special his all-time best–and now it can be heard on LP for the first time. Only 955 “regionally-focused” copies will be made.

Def Leppard, The Def Leppard EP (UMe)

The very first Def Leppard release, 1,000 copies of which self-made and manufactured in 1979, comes back to vinyl for the first time since a 1989 fan-club release. Features early versions of “Rocks Off” and “Overture” from the group’s debut album On Through the Night (1980) plus the song “Ride Into the Sun,” later re-recorded during the Hysteria sessions. this 45 RPM “RSD first” release, the first pressing on 12″ vinyl, is limited to 4,000 copies.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Brain Salad Surgery (BMG)

This 7-inch disc is a replica of the 1973 NME covermount flexi-disc (albeit on rigid clear vinyl), imported from the U.K. as a RSD exclusive limited to 1,500 units.

Bill Evans, Another Time: The Hilversum Concert (Resonance)

Resonance excavates a never-before-heard concert from the late Bill Evans, recorded with Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette in 1968 at the Netherlands Radio Studios in Hilversum. This is the only the third recording known to exist of this Bill Evans Trio line-up, and it features such classic songs as “Alfie,” “Emily,” “Embraceable You,” and “Who Can I Turn To?” Limited to 2,000 copies on 180-gram black vinyl.

Trevor Jones, The Dark Crystal: The Original Soundtrack (Enjoy The Ride)

Trevor Jones’ score to the Jim Henson fantasy classic returns to vinyl for the first time since its original release on this 140-gram clear vinyl limited edition LP! It’s limited to 1,500 copies (2,000 worldwide).

The Kinks, All Day and All of the Night / Got Love If You Want It (Sanctuary/BMG)

BMG has two replica French EPs from The Kinks, from 1964 and 1965. Each of these four-song EPs is limited to 2,500 copies!

Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio, Smokin’ in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse 1966 (Resonance)

Resonance releases previously unreleased live sets by the late guitar great Wes Montgomery with pianist Wynton Kelly and his trio captured live at the Penthouse in Seattle, Washington on April 14 and 21, 1966. Bassist Ron McClure and legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb joined them for these dates. The limited edition of 1,500 includes liner notes and more, and is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl.

Nonesuch is bringing together Randy Newman’s remarkable first five studio albums – Randy Newman, 12 Songs, Sail Away, Good Old Boys, and Little Criminals – in one vinyl box set, and as a bonus, the label is throwing in a 45 RPM single with the promotional “electric” version of “Last Night I Had a Dream” b/w the single mix with horns of “You Can Leave Your Hat On.” This set of five essential albums from an American original is limited to just 1,000 copies.

Gilbert O’Sullivan, Himself (Salvo)

This one is for our U.K. friends, as it’s a U.K. Record Store Day exclusive release. Featuring “Matrimony” and “Nothing Rhymed,” Himself is O’Sullivan’s 1971 album of wonderfully quirky and whimsical pop. For this reissue, Gilbert has hand-written two letters to thank fans for purchasing the album, drawing on the lyrics to “Outro” in which he thanked the purchaser for buying the record! There’s also a “golden ticket” incentive here, as Gilbert has signed 25 random copies of this release! This limited edition is housed in a gatefold sleeve.

Dolly Parton, Puppy Loveb/w Girl Left Alone (Yep Roc)

Yep Roc and Southern Folklife have a replica of one of the legendary artist’s earliest recordings! This single was first issued on Gold Band Recordings in 1959, and this reissue is presented in packaging as close to the original as possible. This Dolly rarity is limited to 2,500 copies.

Rush, Cygnus X-1 (UMe)

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of A Farewell To Kings, Books I & II of “Cygnus X-1” are newly compiled for the first time as a 180-gram vinyl EP with new artwork by longtime Rush designer Hugh Syme. This one’s a limited edition of 5,000 copies.

Sting, Live At The Bataclan (Interscope)

In 2016, the same week Sting released 57TH & 9TH, his first rock album in over a decade, the former Police frontman played the first show at the Paris venue since a tragic terror attack the year before. This six track EP, exclusive to the RSD festivities and limited to 3,500 copies, includes live renditions of “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You” and “One Fine Day” from that new album plus a bright mix of Police and solo classics.

The SUNDAYS, Blind: 25th Anniversary Edition (Fugitive)

The very first U.S. vinyl pressing of the London group’s sophomore album features the band’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” which appeared on the American version of the original album. 1,500 copies will be made.

U2, Red Hill Mining Town (Island)

This 12″ picture disc features a previously unreleased remix of “Red Hill Mining Town” by Steve Lillywhite. Limited to 7,000 copies, this release comes ahead of the 30th anniversary reissue of The Joshua Tree, which will feature this mix as one of its bonus tracks.

Various Artists, Fawlty Towers (Picture Disc) (AEC Imports/Demon)

Finer U.S. shops will have an import of this picture disc from the U.K.’s Demon Music Group featuring two classic episodes of John Cleese’s beloved BBC comedy Fawlty Towers! Limited to 2,000 units.

Various Artists, We’re Gonna Have a Party: The Soul of Wand Records (Sundazed)

Sundazed follows up its recent trawl through the vaults of Scepter Records with a compilation drawn from its sister label, Wand Records! Maxine Brown, Nella Dodds, The Chuck Jackson Orchestra, and more appear on this collection of rare, danceable and uptempo cuts from the Wand library!

John Williams and The London Symphony Orchestra, Star Wars: A New Hope (Walt Disney Records)

With Disney now distributing the original Star Wars albums, they’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of the original film with a 10″ EP featuring the original album masters of “Main Title” and “The Throne Room/End Title.” It’s limited to 4,000 copies.

Frank Zappa, Rollo b/w Portland Improvisation (UMe)

This 10-inch clear vinyl release, limited to 4,000 copies, features FZ and The Petit Wazoo, the 10-piece band (heavy on horn instrumentation) with whom he toured in late 1972. Side 1 has the song “Rollo” in its complete form, first released on Little Dots in 2016. Side 2 premieres the previously unreleased “Portland Improvisation.” Bernie Grundman has remastered.

The Zombies, I Want You Back (BMG) / A Rose for Emily b/w This Will Be Our Year (Varese Sarabande)

Two singles from The Zombies arrive on two different labels: BMG’s “I Want You Back” (limited to 1,250) has the band’s 1965 performance paired with their take in 2015; while Varese Sarabande’s “A Rose for Emily” b/w “This Will Be Our Year” has “Rose” in a previously unreleased version with cello accompaniment and the original version of “This Will Be…” It’s pressed on pink vinyl and is limited to 2,200 copies.

Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others.
He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders.
Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray.
Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

I am with you on that. I used to go every year to support the indie record stores but I cannot stand it anymore. I have minimal interest in “New” vinyl and over the lat 2-3 years they have put nothing out that interests me. What really turns me off is the Ebay flipping. Sure, you can’t really control that but it is aggravating. When the labels limit the releases to so few copies it just brings out the worst people on RSD, the secondary market dealers.

I agree. I don’t think the exclusivity helps the independent record store in the long run.
I like David Bowie but with only 5,000 copies of that live album getting released in the country, it’s not worth the hour drive to my closest store on the chance that they got one or two and nobody else wanted it. While i’d almost certainly pick up some other stuff if it was likely to be in stock that day, I’m just going to skip it and get something on Amazon.

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